Data / Rankings / Employer firms / Counties in Kentucky

Counties in Kentucky by employer firms

Jefferson County had the highest employer firms of 120 counties in 2016, at 13,732. Robertson County had the lowest, at 21. The median was 253 and the figure for Kentucky was 62,215. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest13,732Jefferson County
Lowest21Robertson County
Median253120 counties
Kentucky62,215History

Map of counties, 2016

Adair County: 254 countAllen County: 213 countAnderson County: 306 countBallard County: 111 countBarren County: 738 countBath County: 117 countBell County: 393 countBoone County: 2,429 countBourbon County: 361 countBoyd County: 1,084 countBoyle County: 623 countBracken County: 83 countBreathitt County: 203 countBreckinridge County: 254 countBullitt County: 948 countButler County: 159 countCaldwell County: 266 countCalloway County: 715 countCampbell County: 1,375 countCarlisle County: 79 countCarroll County: 195 countCarter County: 369 countCasey County: 182 countChristian County: 1,074 countClark County: 639 countClay County: 196 countClinton County: 163 countCrittenden County: 143 countCumberland County: 100 countDaviess County: 1,837 countEdmonson County: 103 countElliott County: 48 countEstill County: 158 countFayette County: 6,633 countFleming County: 198 countFloyd County: 655 countFranklin County: 952 countFulton County: 119 countGallatin County: 94 countGarrard County: 192 countGrant County: 305 countGraves County: 571 countGrayson County: 414 countGreen County: 125 countGreenup County: 393 countHancock County: 96 countHardin County: 1,863 countHarlan County: 327 countHarrison County: 251 countHart County: 237 countHenderson County: 810 countHenry County: 186 countHickman County: 65 countHopkins County: 841 countJackson County: 85 countJefferson County: 13,732 countJessamine County: 941 countJohnson County: 350 countKenton County: 2,349 countKnott County: 146 countKnox County: 417 countLarue County: 206 countLaurel County: 941 countLawrence County: 184 countLee County: 87 countLeslie County: 100 countLetcher County: 245 countLewis County: 112 countLincoln County: 275 countLivingston County: 118 countLogan County: 448 countLyon County: 148 countMcCracken County: 1,672 countMcCreary County: 139 countMcLean County: 154 countMadison County: 1,366 countMagoffin County: 140 countMarion County: 321 countMarshall County: 565 countMartin County: 122 countMason County: 374 countMeade County: 340 countMenifee County: 49 countMercer County: 305 countMetcalfe County: 106 countMonroe County: 180 countMontgomery County: 491 countMorgan County: 139 countMuhlenberg County: 471 countNelson County: 835 countNicholas County: 64 countOhio County: 316 countOldham County: 982 countOwen County: 108 countOwsley County: 44 countPendleton County: 139 countPerry County: 479 countPike County: 990 countPowell County: 149 countPulaski County: 1,140 countRobertson County: 21 countRockcastle County: 167 countRowan County: 422 countRussell County: 305 countScott County: 802 countShelby County: 835 countSimpson County: 359 countSpencer County: 179 countTaylor County: 503 countTodd County: 174 countTrigg County: 214 countTrimble County: 65 countUnion County: 215 countWarren County: 2,397 countWashington County: 231 countWayne County: 245 countWebster County: 177 countWhitley County: 489 countWolfe County: 60 countWoodford County: 471 count
  • Under 100
  • 100 to 200
  • 200 to 300
  • 300 to 400
  • 400 to 800
  • 800 and over
count, 2016. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2016

Jefferson County: 13,732 countJefferson County13,732Fayette County: 6,633 countFayette County6,633Boone County: 2,429 countBoone County2,429Warren County: 2,397 countWarren County2,397Kenton County: 2,349 countKenton County2,349Hardin County: 1,863 countHardin County1,863Daviess County: 1,837 countDaviess County1,837McCracken County: 1,672 countMcCracken County1,672Campbell County: 1,375 countCampbell County1,375Madison County: 1,366 countMadison County1,366Pulaski County: 1,140 countPulaski County1,140Boyd County: 1,084 countBoyd County1,084Christian County: 1,074 countChristian County1,074Pike County: 990 countPike County990Oldham County: 982 countOldham County982Franklin County: 952 countFranklin County952Bullitt County: 948 countBullitt County948Jessamine County: 941 countJessamine County941Laurel County: 941 countLaurel County941Hopkins County: 841 countHopkins County841Nelson County: 835 countNelson County835Shelby County: 835 countShelby County835Henderson County: 810 countHenderson County810Scott County: 802 countScott County802Barren County: 738 countBarren County738Calloway County: 715 countCalloway County715Floyd County: 655 countFloyd County655Clark County: 639 countClark County639Boyle County: 623 countBoyle County623Graves County: 571 countGraves County571Marshall County: 565 countMarshall County565Taylor County: 503 countTaylor County503Montgomery County: 491 countMontgomery County491Whitley County: 489 countWhitley County489Perry County: 479 countPerry County479Muhlenberg County: 471 countMuhlenberg County471Woodford County: 471 countWoodford County471Logan County: 448 countLogan County448Rowan County: 422 countRowan County422Knox County: 417 countKnox County417Jefferson County: 13,732 countJefferson County13,732Fayette County: 6,633 countFayette County6,633Boone County: 2,429 countBoone County2,429Warren County: 2,397 countWarren County2,397Kenton County: 2,349 countKenton County2,349Hardin County: 1,863 countHardin County1,863Daviess County: 1,837 countDaviess County1,837McCracken County: 1,672 countMcCracken County1,672Campbell County: 1,375 countCampbell County1,375Madison County: 1,366 countMadison County1,366Pulaski County: 1,140 countPulaski County1,140Boyd County: 1,084 countBoyd County1,084Christian County: 1,074 countChristian County1,074Pike County: 990 countPike County990Oldham County: 982 countOldham County982Franklin County: 952 countFranklin County952Bullitt County: 948 countBullitt County948Jessamine County: 941 countJessamine County941Laurel County: 941 countLaurel County941Hopkins County: 841 countHopkins County841Nelson County: 835 countNelson County835Shelby County: 835 countShelby County835Henderson County: 810 countHenderson County810Scott County: 802 countScott County802Barren County: 738 countBarren County738Calloway County: 715 countCalloway County715Floyd County: 655 countFloyd County655Clark County: 639 countClark County639Boyle County: 623 countBoyle County623Graves County: 571 countGraves County571Marshall County: 565 countMarshall County565Taylor County: 503 countTaylor County503Montgomery County: 491 countMontgomery County491Whitley County: 489 countWhitley County489Perry County: 479 countPerry County479Muhlenberg County: 471 countMuhlenberg County471Woodford County: 471 countWoodford County471Logan County: 448 countLogan County448Rowan County: 422 countRowan County422Knox County: 417 countKnox County417
count. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-11.

Full ranking

RankCounties2016
count		Change on 2015
1Jefferson County13,732+1.1%
2Fayette County6,633+2%
3Boone County2,429+1.6%
4Warren County2,397-0.4%
5Kenton County2,349+0.6%
6Hardin County1,863-0.1%
7Daviess County1,837+1.6%
8McCracken County1,672-0.3%
9Campbell County1,375+2.1%
10Madison County1,366+2.1%
11Pulaski County1,140-7.5%
12Boyd County1,084-0.6%
13Christian County1,074-0.1%
14Pike County990-4.5%
15Oldham County982+0.5%
16Franklin County952-0.4%
17Bullitt County948+4.2%
18Jessamine County9410%
18Laurel County941-0.5%
20Hopkins County841+1.1%
21Nelson County835-0.6%
21Shelby County835+2.5%
23Henderson County810-1.8%
24Scott County802+3.9%
25Barren County738+1.1%
26Calloway County715+1%
27Floyd County655-2.4%
28Clark County639+2.2%
29Boyle County623+0.2%
30Graves County571-1.9%
31Marshall County565-0.2%
32Taylor County503-1.8%
33Montgomery County4910%
34Whitley County489-0.8%
35Perry County479-3.2%
36Muhlenberg County471+0.4%
36Woodford County471-1.1%
38Logan County448+3.2%
39Rowan County422-0.9%
40Knox County417-1.2%
41Grayson County414+0.5%
42Bell County393-3.2%
42Greenup County393-2.7%
44Mason County374-1.3%
45Carter County369+3.4%
46Bourbon County361+4.3%
47Simpson County359+3.5%
48Johnson County350-3.3%
49Meade County340+1.2%
50Harlan County327-2.4%
51Marion County321+2.9%
52Ohio County316+2.9%
53Anderson County306+3%
54Grant County305-0.3%
54Mercer County305-3.5%
54Russell County305-5.6%
57Lincoln County275-0.4%
58Caldwell County266+3.5%
59Adair County254-7.3%
59Breckinridge County254-2.7%
61Harrison County251-2%
62Letcher County245-2.4%
62Wayne County245-3.2%
64Hart County237-0.8%
65Washington County231-0.9%
66Union County215-4%
67Trigg County214+0.5%
68Allen County213+4.4%
69Larue County206+3%
70Breathitt County203+1%
71Fleming County198-1%
72Clay County196-4.9%
73Carroll County195-3.5%
74Garrard County192-1.5%
75Henry County186-2.6%
76Lawrence County184-5.6%
77Casey County182-10.3%
78Monroe County1800%
79Spencer County179+0.6%
80Webster County177+2.9%
81Todd County174+1.2%
82Rockcastle County167+3.1%
83Clinton County163-1.2%
84Butler County159-5.4%
85Estill County158+1.9%
86McLean County154+2%
87Powell County149-3.9%
88Lyon County148+6.5%
89Knott County146-2%
90Crittenden County143+0.7%
91Magoffin County140-9.7%
92McCreary County139-11.5%
92Morgan County139+3%
92Pendleton County139-6.1%
95Green County125-4.6%
96Martin County122-5.4%
97Fulton County119-1.7%
98Livingston County118-1.7%
99Bath County117-1.7%
100Lewis County112+1.8%
101Ballard County111-4.3%
102Owen County108+4.9%
103Metcalfe County106+9.3%
104Edmonson County1030%
105Cumberland County100+1%
105Leslie County100+1%
107Hancock County96+1.1%
108Gallatin County940%
109Lee County87-5.4%
110Jackson County85-2.3%
111Bracken County83+5.1%
112Carlisle County79+2.6%
113Hickman County650%
113Trimble County65-9.7%
115Nicholas County64-3%
116Wolfe County60-1.6%
117Menifee County49-3.9%
118Elliott County48-2%
119Owsley County44+10%
120Robertson County21+16.7%

Other periods

About this ranking

Number of firms in the private nonfarm sectors covered by the US Census Bureau Business Dynamics Statistics. Establishments under common ownership form one firm.

Excludes nonemployer businesses. Differs from active_companies, the INE DIRCE count, which includes businesses without employees.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-11.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Census Bureau. (2025). Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties (Counties in Kentucky by employer firms, 2016) [Data set]. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv

MLA 9

Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties, Counties in Kentucky by employer firms, 2016. U.S. Census Bureau, 25 Sept. 2025, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firms/kentucky-counties?period=2016. Accessed 11 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2025. Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties. Counties in Kentucky by employer firms, 2016. Dataset. Accessed October 11, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firms/kentucky-counties?period=2016.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2025) Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties, Counties in Kentucky by employer firms, 2016 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firms/kentucky-counties?period=2016 (Accessed: 11 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_kentucky_by_2016,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties: Counties in Kentucky by employer firms, 2016}},
  year = {2025},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-11},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firms/kentucky-counties?period=2016. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023\_st\_cty.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-11.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties: Counties in Kentucky by employer firms, 2016
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025/09/25
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firms/kentucky-counties?period=2016
Y2  - 2026/10/11
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/employer-firms/kentucky-counties?period=2016.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-11.
ER  -
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Questions

Which county has the highest employer firms?

Jefferson County, with 13,732 in 2016, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest employer firms?

Robertson County, with 21 in 2016.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-11.

Employer firms: other rankings

Counties in Kentucky: more rankings